Variable-stop hydraulic system



May 13, 1952 R. M. DENsMoRE ET A1. 2,596,471

I VARIABLE-STOP HYDRAULIC SYSTEM Filed Jan. 2l, 1950 i 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Zmnentors RVCHARD M DENSMRE NE VILLE' d OAI. 70A/ n" KM (Ittomeg May 13, 1952 R. M. DENsMoRE ETAL 2,596,471

VARIABLE-STOP HYDRAULIC SYSTEM Filed Jan. 21, 195o s sheets-sheet s Zmventors L MCH/420 M. .DENSMURE /vEv/L-E .z AL 70N Patented May 13, 1952 VARIABLE-STOP HYDRAULIC SYSTEM Richard M. Densmore, South Gate, and Neville Si. Dalton, Huntington Bark, Calif.

Application January 2l, 1950, Serial No. 139,82

(Cl. IBI-33) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an hydraulic system in which the stroke of the piston of the operating cylinder thereof is adapted to be adjusted.

While the present system has many applications, the same is particularly adapted to control the raised and lowered positions of agricultural machines such as cultivators, narrows, etc. From time to time, it is necessary to raise such machines relative to the ground. At the present time there are various hydraulic devices that effect such operation by the operator from his seat on a towing tractor. However, should it become desirable to adjust the depth of earth penetration of the discs, plows, tines, etc. of such agricultural machines, the operator must leave his seat to manipulate the means effecting such adjustment. Accordingly, the adjustment is made While the agricultural machine is at rest and may not be the proper adjustment when the machine is in operation. This results in a series of trial-and-error adjustments that are-timeconsuming and generally unsatisfactory. When it is realized that the depth of earth penetration may require adjustment many times during the traverse of a iield, it will be seen that independent adjustment while the machine is at rest is not desirable.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novel hydraulic system that is adapted to be mounted on a tractor and to be u controlled from the operators seat thereof, whereby an agricultural machine, being towed by the tractor, can be raised and lowered as desired, and whereby the depth of penetration oi the earth-engaging implements of such a inachine can be varied, all while the machine is in motion. Thus, the operator, from his seat, can judge the adjustment under actual working conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic system, as indicated, in which the Operating cylinder thereof is provided with a stop for the piston of said cylinder and with novel means, controlled from the operators seat, for adjusting the position of said stop, as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic cylinder embodying a hydraulically adjustable stop for the piston of said cylinder to provide a variable limit stop for said piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel selector valve, whereby normal raising and lowering of the piston and adjustment of the stop are each effected selectively.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic cylinder having a piston and embodying adjustable stops, one on each side of said piston, whereby not only the stroke of the piston may be adjusted, but the same length of stroke may be obtained at diierent portions of the cylinder.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way oi illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view oi one form of the present system in which the operating hydraulic cylinder and the selector valve are shown in longitudinal section, the parts being arranged for normal raising and lowering operation of the piston of said cylinder.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the selector valve in the position controlling adjustment of the variable stop of the hydraulic cylinder.

Fig. 3 is a side View of the rear end of a towing vehicle for an agricultural machine, showing one manner of application of the present system.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view, similar to Fig. 1, of another form oi system in which the hydraulic cylinder embodies an adjustable stop on each side of the piston thereof.

The present variable stop hydraulic system, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises, generally, a liquid storage tank 5, a pump S for drawing liquid from said tank, a four-way valve 'l for controlling liquid flow, an hydraulic cylinder unit 8, and a selector valve 9 for controlling liquid iiow to and from said unit, said valves l and 9 cooperating, according to their settings, to ccntrol the operation of cylinder unit 3.

Tank 5 is a conventional pressureless vessel that serves as a reservoir for hydraulic fluid. The pump E5 is also conventional and serves to draw liquid from tank 5 through a line I l) and direct said liquid, under pressure, through a line Il. The four-way valve 'l is also conventional and includes an adjustable plug or core I2 which 3 Y embodies ports i3 and id, said plug being selectiveiy positionable as by a manipulating handle i (Fig. 3). In the position shown in full lines, port i3 connects line Il and a line i6, and port id connects lines i and it of which the former is a return line to tank 5.

The hydraulic cylinder unit comprises a cylu inder is having end closures 2li. and 2l. Closure 2d` is provided with aport 22 which opens directly into the interior of cylinder I9, and with a port 23 that communicates with an elongated tube 2d that extends axially into the cylinder and terminates at a point adjacent the opposite end closure 2l.

End closure 2l is provided with a seriesiof. holes 25 that communicate the interior of the cylin= der with an annular chamber 26 formed in said end closure. A port 2l connects with said chamber. Line i8 connects with port 27, andV the respective lines 28 and 29 connect with ports 22 and 23.

YEnd closure 2i is provided withan axial passage to for the tubular stem Si of a piston 32 operating in a cylinder IS. The end of stem Si that extends beyond closure 2| comprises asolid plug S3. Otherwise, said stem is hollow and of such size as to freely receive tube 2d with suitable clearance that affords flow from the open end of said tube into cylinder le between piston 32 and end closure 2t.

In the 1atter-mentioned portion of the cylinder, there is ttedV astop element Sil that is slidable in said cylindervand has a passagebore d through which tube 25 extends. End closure 2l, piston 32', and stop element 3d, as shown, are each provided with suitable sealing rings or the like that seal against the inner wall of cylinder' I9, and the outer walls of tube 2d and stein 3l, as the case may* be. Such sealing rings are indicated. at St.

it will be seen that inner'face 31 of end closure 2l comprises a fixed stop for piston 32 to limit the outward stroke of said piston and stem 3l. Stop 3d, according to its position in cylinder l2, comprises a fixed but adjustable stop for said piston to limit its inward stroke. When stop 3f? is resting against end closure 2o, maximum stroke of the piston is afforded. The nearer to closure end 2l that said stop is positioned, the shorter is the piston stroke.

The selector Valve 9 comprises a body 38 that has a longitudinal bore 39 in Which operates a piston valve fit. A port lil, connected torline il, communicates with a chamber i2 at one end of bore 39. VAnother port d'3, connected to line le, communicates with a chamber le at an intermediate point of bore 3S. Between chambers d2 and dd is provided a chamber 45, `and on the opposite side of chamber d there is provided a chamber d5. Line 29 communicates with chamber 55 and line 28 with chamber 46.

The piston valve @B has a cylindrically reduced portion fil, which, depending on the position of the same, either provides for communication of chambers fifi and d5, as in Fig. 1, or communication of chambers fili and t5, Fig. 2. On one side of portion 131, the piston has a portion (i8 that fits the bore between chambers 42 and 35. In the first position, said portion 48 seals between said chambers, while in the second position, an end port Q9 in the piston valve and in communication with a ported annular groove 50 in portion 158, eiects communication between chambers [i2 and lid. A plug '5l closes bore 3d at one end. At the opposite end, a sealing ring 52 on the piston Valve seals against outward iiow. A bifurcated end 53 is provided on piston valve lit, the same extending beyond body 38.

Means is provided for shifting piston valve et from one to theV other of the above-mentioned two positions. As shown, said means comprises a handle 5ft that is tted into bifurcation 53 and connected to piston valve to by a pivot pin 55. A floating fulcrum 5t for saidhandle, is carried on a link 5h' that is pivoted at E@ on bodyV 38. To insure retention of thepiston valvein either position, a spring-urged detent ball 5s, carried by said piston valve, has selective engagement in seats andi formed in handle 5i. When seat 58 is engaged, with the detent, the piston valve is, held in the,` inst-described position, and when handle 5ft' is swung on its pivot to engage the detent and seat iii, said piston valve is held in the second-described position.

Fig'. 1y shows the system while piston 32 and stem 3l are being projected away from stop 34. With pump t. operating', iiuid passes from tank 5 through line I'i', valve. porti?, andtline ity to..

chamber lid, and then tov chamber d5', through line 29 to port. 23' and into tube fifi. Said fluid Viills the interior of stem 3l and the space 52 in cylinder i9 betweenV stop 3.4i and'piston 32. Since huid in space Eid: in cylinder li) between piston 32e and end closure 2l is simultaneously displaced through port 21., line. It, port ifi and line il, into; non-pressure tanlr 5, the piston. andi stem. will be forced in a direction away from stop. 363'. Endclosure. 2i limits this movement; Stop. 3d is irnmobiie during this movement since. iuid in ovle inder i9 in space. E3 is trapped'becauseY chamber t is sealed ori against flow. rThus, the stopte constitutes a hrm' abutment' for the, pressure of iiuid that projects the piston.

When retraction. of the. piston is desired, valve i? is left in itsinitial or iirst position and valve i' turned so, that port. is communicates lines Il and |23 and port ilines i6. and Hf. Now', the pressure of fluid from the. pump #flowsY in` space te of the cylinder, iorcing piston 3 2. down so that the same dispiaces luidin space E2 throughtube 2li., line 29, chambers it and t6, line It, port iii and line ii', int-o tank 25. Stop 3ft limits this movement the fluid in space 53 still being trapped, as before.

t will be seen that only the four-way valve i is. manipulated to project and retract the piston.

When it is desired to shorten the stroke or to adjust one movement-.limiting abutment-in this case, stop 5dhandle 5d is moved to shift valve Si to the second position as shown in Fig. 2. Valve 'I is left` in the first position. Now, iiuidunder pressure in line I6k flows through chambers Gli' and line 28, and port 22 into space 63, forcing stop 35. in a direction toward cylinder end 2l.' Since space 52, through tube'2i, line 29, chamber d5, ported groove 5t, end port f1.9, and chamber d2, is connected to line Il, the duid in said space will be evacuated into tank 5 during such movementV of stop 35i. When said stop engages piston 32, the movement of the former will be transmitted to the latter and effect displacement of uid in space fili through line ES, valve port ld and line l'i into tank 5. When a desired position of stop 3f! is achieved, valve 9 is re-shifted to its iirst position. Now, since fluid in space B3 is trapped by closure ofchamber it and the pump pressure is transferred to space t2, said stop will come to rest at the adjusted position thereof.

When it is desired to lengthen the piston stroke, that is, to adjust stop 34 in a direction toward end closure 2E), both valves 1 and 9 are placed in their second positions. Pressure fluid enters space 64 through lines I! and I8 and valve port I4 to move piston 32 toward stop 34. Fluid in space 62 is displaced, as before, through lines 29 and II into tank 5. When the piston encounters stop 34, fiuid in space 63 is displaced through lines 28, i6 and Il into the tank. Stop 34 will, therefore, move toward cylinder end 20 and is stopped in desired adjusted position by re-shifting Valve 9 to its first position.

With reference to Fig. 3, a tractor 65 is provided with a frame 66 at its rear end. The cylinder unit 8 of the present system is mounted on said frame on a pivot 61. An upper shaft 68 on said frame carries an arm 59 that is connected to piston stem 3|. Valves 'I and 9 are mounted on the tractor in position to be handy to an operator on seat l0. While tank 5 and pump 6 are not shown in Fig. 3, it will, nevertheless, be evident, from the foregoing description, how the operator may manipulate valves 1 and 9 to adjust stop 34 or cause rocking of shaft 58.

On both sides of frame 53, shaft 5B carries rearwardly extending arms 'H which, through links 12, are connected to intermediate portions of longer rearwardly extending arms 13, the latter being pivoted at 'i4 to frame 85. It will be seen that arms '13, as the cylinder unit is operated, will move in an arc between a low and a high position, as shown, and that an agricultural machine connected to arms i3, suggested at l5, will be raised and lowered relative to the ground, ac cordingly.

So long as stop 34 is not disturbed, the low position of machine will be the same, thereby effecting a certain depth penetration of the discs, plows or tines 'I6 of said machine. Substantially the lowest position of the machine is shown in the full lines of the drawing. It will be evident, therefore, that upward adjustment of stop 34 will raise the low position of said machine so that the cultivator depth is shallower and the stroke of piston stem 3l commensurately shorter.

The system shown in Fig. a embodies a second selector valve da similar to valve d and a modied form of hydraulic cylinder In the cylinder shown, tube 24 is replaced by a tube 24a which extends through piston stem 3Ia, and communicates space 52 with a port 23a at the outer end of said stem. The latter port is connected to line 29. Stem Sila now has an annular passage that is open at 8D to a space 3| between piston 32 and a second stop element 82 and to a port 83 also on the outer end of said stem. The latter port is connected by a line 29a to chamber 45a of valve 9a in the same manner that line 29 is connected to chamber 45 of valve 9.

In this case, previously-described line I8 is replaced by a line 84 connecting cylinder port 2l and chamber 46a of valve 9a, and a line 85 that connects chamber 44a of the latter valve and port I4, of valve l. There are thus provided adjustable stops on each side of the piston so that not only the length of the stroke may be varied, but also the high and low terminating points of the stroke. The exibility of adjustment of this arrangement should be apparent. The comparable portions of valve sa to those of valve 9 have been given the same relative reference numbers with the addition of a sub a.

In Fig. 4, valves l, 3 and Sc are each shown in the mentioned iirst position. It will be seen that iiuid in spaces 53 and 54 is trapped because chambers 46 and 45a are closed to ow. Accordingly, stops 34 and 22 cannot move under pres- 6 sure in spaces 62 and BI. Thus, piston 32 is moved in a direction toward stop 82 by pressure fluid entering tube 24a from lines IB and 29, as uid in space 8l is displaced through lines 29a and 55, valve port i4, and line I'I into tank 5.

With valves Si and 9d in the iirst position and valve 'l moved to the second position; pressure fluid is brought to space 8l through lines 85 and 29a, causing the piston to move toward stop 34. At the same time, fluid in space 62 is displaced through tube 24a, lines 25 and l5, port I3, and line I 'I into tank 5.

Thus, as for the first form of system, projection and retraction are effected solely by manipulation of valve l, while valves 5 and 5a are in the first position.

When the stop 34 is to be adjusted in a direction toward closure 2i, valves 9 and 9a are in the second position and valve 1 in the first position. Thus, pressure iiuid is brought to space 55 while iirst space 52 and then space 8| exhaust to the tank through respective lines 29 and 29a, and line I l. After stop 34, piston 32 and stop 8?., during such adjustment, have been brought into direct contact and further adjustment movement of stop Sil is desired, the flow is continued into space 53, and space 54 will exhaust through lines 84 and 55, through valve port i4 and line I'I in the tank.

When stop 34 is to be adjusted in a direction toward closure Eil, valve 9 is placed in the second position, valve 9a in the first position and valve 'J in the second position. While stop 82 is held ecause line 8f3 is sealed off, fluid pressure in lines 85 and 23a enters space 3| and moves piston 32 to displace fluid in space 62 through lines 29 and il into the tank. When the piston engages stop lili, the fluid in space 53 will exhaust through lines 25, I5 and Il' into the tank. Thus stop 34 is moved away from stop 82.

When stop 82 is to be adjusted in a direction toward closure 20, the three valves 1, 9 and 9a are each placed in the second position. Pressure iiuid from lines 35 and 84 enters space 64 to move the stop, While rst space 8l and then space 52 evacuate to the tank through as before. Further adjustment entails evacuation of space 63 through lines 28 and I6, port I3, and line I'I.

When stop 82 is to be adjusted in a direction toward closure 2|, valves 'I and 8 are placed in the first position and valve 9a in the second position. While line 28 is sealed off to hold stop 34 against movement, rst piston 32 is moved away from said stop to pick up stop 82 and move the same in the required direction.

To sum up:

Operation Desired Valve 9 Valve 9c Valve 7 To project piston 1st position. lst position.. 1st position. 'l'o retract piston do do 2nd position. Stop 34 toward cnd 2l. 2nd position. 2nd positionY lst position. Stop 34 toward end 2c.. .do lst position.. 2nd position. Stop 82 toward end 2Il do 2nd position. lDo.

Stop 82 toward end 2l. lst position.. .....do 1st position.

It will be seen that any desired adjustment of stops 34 relative to each other and also relative to the ends of the cylinder may be readily effected through the medium of the three valves 1, 9 and 9a.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as they preferred embodiments, the constructions are, of c-ourse, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is,

therefore; not desired to restrict the invention to Y the 11.articular forms. of construction .illustrated and .described7 but to cover al1 modifications that mav fau within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to vbe .secured by Letters Batentisr 1 .hydraulic system comprising a cylinder having closed ends, a pieton in. Said Cylinder. two stop `elements,one on each side of the piston, said cylinder, between its ends, being thereby divided into four spaces, a selector valve for controlling uid fiow through two of said spaces, a rsecond selector valve for controlling ow through the other two spaces, a-tWo-position four-way valve connected to both selector valves, and means to conduct fluid under pressure through the four-Way valve to the selector valves, selectively, whereby the piston and the stops, selectively, are movable relative to each other and to the ends of the cylinder.

2. The system according to claim 1 in which the two selector valves are two-position devices, which, together with the two-positions of the four-way valve, are settable to conduct pressure fluid Yto the four spaces in the cylinder, selectively.

' 3. A variable-stop hydraulic unit, comprising a cylinder having an end closure, a stop element in said cylinder and movable therein, said end closure havilie a loort for `oo riduotine duid into' the Vcylinder between said stop elernent and closure, a piston in the cylinder beyond said stop element, a hollow stern extending from the piston outwardly of the cylinder and terminating at its outer end in a port in communication with the space between the piston and stop element, a tube surrounding said stern and spaced therefrom to constitute an Yannular passage, a second stop element on the opposite side of the piston, there being ports at the ends of said tube communicating the space between the piston and second stop element with the outward end of the stern, and a closure at the other end of the cylinder andV through which said stem and'tube project, said latter closure having a port in communication with the space in the cylinder between the second stop element and said latter closure. e

RICHARD M- DENSMORE- J. DALTON.V

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Acton Nov. 1,1, 1947. 

